While apples get a lot of attention for their health benefits, pears should not be overlooked. The soft, sweet, buttery flesh of the pear makes this Fall fruit perfect for enjoying fresh or for using in healthy recipes, like these edamame and pear crostinis [1] or this pear berry smoothie [2]. Plus, there are so many varieties to choose from — Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou — that they each seem like a different fruit. These juicy gems are pretty healthy for you, too.

• Pears are one of the highest-fiber fruits [3], offering six grams per medium-sized fruit, helping you meet your daily requirement of 25 to 30 grams. Filling up on fiber keeps you regular to prevent a bloated belly caused by constipation, which also helps prevent colon cancer. A diet high in fiber can also keep your cholesterol levels down, which is good news for your ticker. Getting your fill of fiber from fruit is also linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes [4].
• Pears contain a fair amount of vitamins C, K, B2, B3, and B6. For expecting or nursing moms, they also contain folate. Pears aren't too shabby in the mineral department either, containing calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Vitamin C and copper are antioxidant nutrients, so eating pears is good for your immune system and may help prevent cancer.
• Pears also contain boron, which our bodies need in order to retain calcium, so this fruit can also be linked to prevention of osteoporosis.
• The phytonutrients found in pears are also associated with preventing stomach cancer [5].
• It's a hypoallergenic fruit [6], which means those with food sensitivities can usually eat pears with no adverse effects.
• Eating three or more servings of fruits a day, such as pears, may also lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration [7] (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults.
• Quercetin is another antioxidant found in the skin of pears. It's beneficial for cancer prevention and can help reduce blood pressure [8], so don't peel your pears!